Suction cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to suction washing apparatus and has for its object to wash by suction the pile of carpets, surface of floor coverings, upholstery and other fabrics, and floor, windows and wall and even ceiling which in use is arranged to supply cleaning liquid to the surface to be cleaned and to remove same by suction means.

O Umted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,720,977 Br cki 1March 20, 1973 [5SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS 3,552,100 1 1971 Ekenberg ..15 353 xInventor: 19 lverpoo ng an 10,485 1/1903 Austria ..l37/404 [22] 19711,123,052 8/1968 Great Britain... 2 Appl 115 320 892,658 3/1962 GreatBritain ..l5/322 Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts [30] ForeignAppllcatlon Prlorlty Data Assistant Examiner c Moore March 25, 1970Great Britain ..l4,367/7O [57] ABSTRACT [52] :LS. (i1 IS/32123154353This invention relaxes to Suction washing apparatus 1 and has f bje to hctio the o [58] ledo Search ..1;5g/355 13;/404, Carpets Surface of floorcoverings, upholstery and other fabrics, and floor, windows and wall andeven ceiling which in use is arranged to supply cleaning [56] Referencescued liquid to the surface to be cleaned and to remove UNITED STATESPATENTS Same y Suction means r 2,549,181 4/1951 Durham 15/321 X 1 Claim,4 Drawing Figures .t d .1 g

,49 V i 28 M PATENTEDMAR20 197s 3,720.9.

INVENTOR 4M 19 MA FIELD ROAD. LIVERPOOL 19. LA NCA'SHIRE.

SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS This invention is an improvement ormodification of the suction cleaning device of my US. Pat. No. 3,616,482in which a container is provided with a first suction tube connectedwith a cleaning nozzle and a second suction tube for connection with asource of suction.

In the said container is provided a liquid supply reservoir for cleancleaning solution.

A liquid supply tube is provided which is housed within the firstsuction tube, one end connected with a cross-tube housed in the nozzle,and the other end whereof communicates with said reservoir.

The said container is arranged so as to function in use as a separatorfor removing and collecting used liquid from the air passing through thecontainer from the cleaning nozzle, the arrangement being such that thefeed of liquid to the nozzle is effected automatically by reason of thevacuous conditions obtaining within the nozzle, which such liquid iscontinuously returned to and collected by the separator.

The object of the present invention is to provide a suction washingapparatus as herein defined in which flow of liquid to the nozzle issimply and effectively prevented when the liquid level in the containerrises too high.

According to the present invention, theliquid supply reservoir in thecontainer is adapted in use toact as a float valve and the inlet to thereservoir is disposed externally of the container.

Also according to the present invention, the source of suction ismounted in a recess of thecontainer so as to lower the center of gravityof the apparatus and to silence the motor.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view in elevation of a suction washing apparatusaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 isthe upper part of FIG. 1, when thereservoir is empty.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of a suction nozzle used in the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is an underneath view of thenozzle of FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 4, the suction washing apparatus comprises awheeled container 1 of circular cross-section having a removable top 2,a tangential part 3 and a port 4 in the top 2, the source of suction ina chamber 7 and a nozzle 18.

The port 4 opens into a suction tube 6 connecting the port 4 with achamber 7 in which is thesource of suction, mounted in a recess 10 inthe base of the container 1 so as to. lower the center of gravity of theapparatus.

A rigid liquid reservoir 11 is mounted centrally within the container 1and is provided with an elongated neck 12 which passes upwardly through.the port 4 and through the housing 2.

The neck 12 opens out in the manner of a funneli13 externally of thecontainer 1 and serves to enable the reservoir to be charged withliquid. It will be apparent from the FIG. 1 that the reservoir issuspended from the housing by the funnel 1 3 which in the loweredposition shown in FIG. 1 seals an aperture 14in the housing 2. In araised position FIG. 2 of the reservoir 11 the funnel 13 is lifted outof sealing engagement with the aperture 14 and an external shoulder 15on the neck 12 internally of the container is moved into sealingengagement with the cover 2 around the underside of the port 4. To holdthe reservoir 11 in the center of container 1, the tube 30 is providedwhich also communicates one end with a recess 10 where is pressured air,and the other end whereof communicates with the top of the neck of thereservoir 11 to regulate the pressure in the reservoir 11. The cover ofthe funnel, a cap 31, is provided having an opening 32 therein. A plate33 is pivoted to the top of the cap 31 to close the opening if required.

The cover 2 provided with an inner circular flange 28 concentric withthe aperture 4 prevents a carry over of liquid into tube 6.

In operation air from the recess 10 is exhausted through the flexible,sound deadening skirt 27 which extends downwardly under the container 1towards carpet C, or as an alternative, the skirt 27 may be replaced byan air permeable bag.

A flexible suction tube 16 is mounted with one end in a union 17 leadingto the port 3 and with the other end connected to a suction nozzle 18. Atube 19 passes from the reservoir 11, through the port 3, inside thetube 16 to the cross-tube 20 which is housed within the nozzle 18. Thecross-tube 20 has a series of tooth-like projections 50 each having adischarge aperture 21 constructed to diverge conically to assist inpreventing clogging of the apertures.

Referring to FIG. 3, a cut-off valve is provided in tube 16, to preventliquid passing through a tube 19, when the suction source is out ofaction. The valve comprises a plate 40 which is loadled by spring 42into a position in which it substantially blocks the tube 19. In usewhen air passes through it urges the plate 40 to ac cept thepositionshown in the dotted line allowing the liquid to pass through.

The suction washing apparatus operates as follows: the reservoir 11 issuspended from housing 2, filled with cleaning solution closes theaperture (port) 14. The suction source 7 induces vacuous condition bytube 6 through port 4 in container 1 and through port 3 and flexibletube 16 on the end of which is nozzle 18. The air of sub-atmosphericpressure entering the nozzle 18 which is in contact with the surface tobe cleaned, passing through the tube 16, urges the plate 40 to position41, allowing liquid to pass through from a reservoir 11 by tube 19 tocross-tube 20, and then as a result of the sub-atmospheric pressureexisting within the nozzle causes the liquid to-be drawn in a controlledmanner through, as for example, arpile of carpet, from apertures 21, tothe container 1 where the liquid is separated from theair which, withoutliquid, passes through port 4 to the suction source 7. Reservoir 11being housed in the container 1, prevents the used and soiled liquidfrom adopting the form of a cone, the top of whichwould. enter the port4 and subsequently the source ofsuction in chamber7.

When all the cleaning solution is removed from reservoir 11, then thereservoir 11 becomes empty and as a result, soiled liquid in thecontainer 1 lifts up the reservoir 1 l, blocking port4by shoulder. 15 ofthe neck 12, allowing the air to pass through from. outside by port14.to the suction source in order to cool the motor.

As a result of the vacuous condition no longer existing in thiscontainer, cover 2 is lifted up by the reservoir from the container 1.

To renew the operation, soiled liquid from the container 1 has to beremoved, the reservoir 11 refilled, and then the operation can beresumed.

lclaim 1. A suction cleaning device comprising; a cleaning nozzle, afirst suction tube attached to said nozzle, a liquid supply tube, oneend whereof opens into said nozzle and the other end whereofcommunicates with a liquid supply reservoir, a container attached tosaid first suction tube, a second suction tube for connecting saidcontainer with a source of suction housed in a recess at the base ofsaid container, said container being arranged so as to function in useas a separator removing and collecting used liquid from air passingthrough said container from the cleaning nozzle, a cover for saidcontainer having a tangential inlet union in the side thereof fordetachable connection with said first suction tube, and an inlet portfor connecting said container with said suction tube; said liquid supplyreservoir being located within said container and suspended from saidcover by an elongated neck passing through a central aperture in saidcover adapted to provide communication between the atmosphere and saidsecond suction tube, said elongated neck being normally adapted to sealsaid central aperture, but arranged to unseal said aperture and closethe inlet port connecting the container with the second suction tubewhen the liquid supply reservoir is raised; a tube passing through anaperture in the reservoir opening upwardly into an upper portion of theliquid supply reservoir, one end of said tube communicating with therecess housing the source of suction at the pressure end thereof; theother end communicating with the top of the elongated neck, whereby theliquid supply reservoir is pressurized, the liquid supply reservoir, inoperation of the device, being emptied of liquid and the containerfilled with soiled liquid, whereby the liquid supply reservoir is raisedwhen a predetermined level of liquid in the container is reached, thuscausing closure of the inlet port to the second suction tube, so thatvacuous conditions are no longer obtained at the nozzle.

1. A suction cleaning device comprising; a cleaning nozzle, a firstsuction tube attached to said nozzle, a liquid supply tube, one endwhereof opens into said nozzle and the other end whereof communicateswith a liquid supply reservoir, a container attached to said firstsuction tube, a second suction tube for connecting said container with asource of suction housed in a recess at the base of said container, saidcontainer being arranged so as to function in use as a separatorremoving and collecting used liquid from air passing through saidcontainer from the cleaning nozzle, a cover for said container having atangential inlet union in the side thereof for detachable connectionwith said first suction tube, and an inlet port for connecting saidcontainer with said suction tube; said liquid supply reservoir beinglocated within said container and suspended from said cover by anelongated neck passing through a central aperture in said cover adaptedto provide communication between the atmosphere and said second suctiontube, said elongated neck being normally adapted to seal said centralaperture, but arranged to unseal said aperture and close the inlet portconnecting the container with the second suction tube when the liquidsupply reservoir is raised; a tube passing through an aperture in thereservoir opening upwardly into an upper portion of the liquid supplyreservoir, one end of said tube communicating with the recess housingthe source of suction at the pressure end thereof; the other endcommunicating with the top of the elongated neck, whereby the liquidsupply reservoir is pressurized, the liquid supply reservoir, inoperation of the device, being emptied of liquid and the containerfilled with soiled liquid, whereby the liquid supply reservoir is raisedwhen a predetermined level of liquid in the container is reached, thuscausing closure of the inlet port to the second suction tube, so thatvacuous conditions are no longer obtained at the nozzle.